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#1
This will be my final post regarding Richie. I have to admit I'm a bit biased, I saw the kid play often for the Ranges, the Box Hill City Oval being ten minutes walk from my place. He was a slashing wingman with electrifying speed and skill and ALL the recruiters gave each other knowing nods in agreement, the boy had enormous potential. I was rapt we got him and he was worth the pick we used at the time. I would like to know what the phark happened? Todays story in the Age still doesn't answer the many questions Collingwood supporters have. He lost all confidence in 2005 yet doesn't know why. And if he considered retirement several times then it's probably a good thing we moved him on. One of my lasting memories wil be of my non Collingwood mates laughing hysterically at the Box Hill Willi game at a player who was now roughly the size of Jupiter compared with the others running around. I see he's still grossly overweight and suspect he'll stay that way, Dean Rioli hardly being the ideal mentor in that regard. Football clubs are all pretty much the same so Richies 'Grass being greener' idea for a fresh start probably won't be enough to provide him with the motivation he needs. Did the club err in trying to turn him into a chunky Chris Johnson type small defender? I suspect they did but his low possession and horrendous turnover margin every year he's been with us not to mention poor decision making doesn't augur well for the future. But I can still remember the skinny wingman who looked to have it all, and I still don't know why it all went so wrong.

